Jane Duncan

Jane Duncan (March 10 1910-October 20 1976) was the pseudonym of Scottish writer Elizabeth Jane Cameron, best-known for her "My Friends" series of semi-autobiographical novels. She also wrote four novels under the name of her principal heroine Janet Sandison, and some children's books.

Biography

Jane Duncan was born in Renton, West Dunbartonshire and brought up in the Scottish Lowlands where her father was a police officer, but much of her childhood was spent in the Highlands on the Black Isle in Easter Ross, on her grandparents' croft "The Colony": the "Reachfar" of her novels. She graduated in English from the University of Glasgow and did various secretarial jobs before serving as a Flight Officer (Intelligence), WAAF during World War II alongside the choreographer Frederick Ashton. She afterwards lived in Jamaica for ten years, returning to Jemimaville, near "The Colony", in 1958 as a widow. In 1959 Duncan became something of a publishing sensation when Macmillan Publishers announced that it would be publishing seven of her manuscripts, the first to be produced being "My Friends the Miss Boyds". The nineteenth and last of the series, "My Friends George and Tom", was published in 1976. The biographical background to her writing is given in her "Letter from Reachfar" (1975) (ISBN 0-333-18755-5).

Writing

The "Reachfar" ("My Friends") series is narrated by Janet Sandison and follows her life (which in outline parallels that of the author) from the World War I period through to the 1960s, depicting the people she encounters and showing how her crofting upbringing influences her in whatever society and geographical location she finds herself.

In the four-novel Jean Robertson sequence (1969-75), notionally written by Sandison (who herself becomes an author), the heroine and part-narrator moves from bleak beginnings in the town of "Lochfoot" (based on Balloch, West Dunbartonshire) to become a house-servant in the interwar period, influencing for good the lives of many around her.

The five-book "Camerons" series for children have a contemporary setting (being inspired by the author's niece and nephews, "The Hungry Generation") and are particularly notable for including the young Iain who has learning difficulties. "Camerons on the Train" was filmed as "The Camerons" (Children's Film Foundation, 1974).

Bibliography

As Jane Duncan:

"My Friends the Miss Boyds"
"My Friend Muriel"
"My Friend Monica"
"My Friend Annie"
"My Friend Sandy"
"My Friend Martha's Aunt"
"My Friend Flora"
"My Friend Madame Zora"
"My Friend Rose"
"My Friend Cousin Emmie"
"My Friends the Mrs. Millers"
"My Friends from Cairnton"
"My Friend my Father"
"My Friends the MacLeans"
"My Friends the Hungry Generation"
"My Friend the Swallow"
"My Friend Sashie"
"My Friends the Misses Kindness"
"My Friends George and Tom"

Autobiography:

"Letter from Reachfar"

Children's books:

"Camerons on the Train"
"Camerons on the Hills"
"Camerons at the Castle"
"Camerons Calling"
"Camerons Ahoy!"

"Herself and Janet Reachfar"
"Janet Reachfar and the Kelpie"
"Brave Janet Reachfar"
"Janet Reachfar and Chickabird"

As Janet Sandison

"Jean in the Morning"
"Jean at Noon"
"Jean in the Twilight"
"Jean Towards Another Day"

External links

* [http://www.kirkmichael.info/janeduncan.html Jane Duncan at the Kirkmichael Trust]
* [http://www.slainte.org.uk/cilips/publications/scotauth/duncadsw.htm Jane Duncan at Slainte]

Further reading

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